Means for holding folded tops of automobiles



w. M GLASHAN MEANS FOR HOLDING FOLDED TOPS OF AUTOMOBILES Filed Dec. 22, 1921 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR 40mm MM W. M GLASHAN MEANS FOR HOLDING FOLDED TOPS OF AUTOMOBILES Fi'led Dec. 22 1921 3 Sheets-Sheet INVENTOR Mae Feb, 10, 1925; v

W. M GLASHAN MEANS FOR HOLDING FOLDED TOPS OF AUTOMOBILES Filed Dec. 22 1921 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR wMXa/m Q Wae Patented Feb. 10,1925.

' UNITED STATES PATENT QIFFLCE;

WILLIAM MAOGLASHAN, OFQDETBQIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIG'NOB TO STUDEBAKER COR PORATION, A. CORPORATION OF NEW MEANS FOR HOLDING FOLDED TOIPS 07E AUTOMOBILES.

Applieationfiled December 22, 1921. Serial No. 524,197.

1 all to homizf may concern.

Be t known that I, VVILLIAM Mliotirnn SHAN, a citizen of the United States of America, and resldent of Detroit, in the county 0t Wayne and State ofMichigan, have invented certain new and useful ln 1 provenients in Means for Holding Folded Tops of Automobiles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to supports tor holding the folded tops of automobiles and .5 folded top support of such a construction that when not in use a small button like projection only is-in evidence on the side of the automobile body. A n'eterable construc tion consists of a bolt having a tapered end :11 teri'uinating in a button or disk. axially slidable in a journaling bracket or socket member fastened to the inside of the body. The bracket is shown attached to the top rail, andthe bolt resiliently held in the t socketby a coil spring properly mounted in such a manner that when not in usethe button or disc only projects outwardly from the automobile body, showing but little to break the stream linecontour of the body.

The back top bow, which is the lowest how when the top is in folded position, is provided with a bracket having a tapered opening therein to conform to the tapered endof the bolt and having a slot leading into the opening large enough to allow the body of the bolt to pass therethrough. In operation the top is lowered, the bolt pulled out by means of the button head against the pressure of the spring the bracket on the how is slipped over tlrebody of. the bolt andthe bolt is allowedto recede into the body until the tapered end seats in the tapered opening of the bracket, holding the bow upon which the bracketv is fastened from further movement. One-device of this kind is applied to each side of the body, and when the top is in lowered position and the bracket on the back bowengages thebolt, all oi the top bowsbeing held in position by a strap encircling them or by-any other de sired means.

Itwill be seen thattl'iis constr etion presents very little obstruction on the body surface. is relatively simple and is easily operated.

To better describe my invention I will now refer to the accompanying drawingyin which Figure 1 is a fragmentary side view of an automobile with the top up and showing the application of a device embodying my present: invention.

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure l with the top shown in folded position.

ll igure 3 is a sideview of the bracket tas- 7 toned to thelhaci or lower top bow.

lligure 4- is a top view of the parts in Figure 3.

Figure 5 is asection oi. the bow and .ret taken on the line AA of Figure 3. eigure (3 is a sectional top view showing the invention in position on the side of an automobile body but not supporting the top.

Figure 7 is a-view corresponding to F ure 6- with the device shown in operative 55 position.

Figure 8 shows a modified construction embodying my present invention.

Referring to the drawings which are illustrativc only of my invention, like numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several-views, in which, 1 isan automobile body, Qare the doors, 3 iis a wheel, l is a tender, 5 is a running board, 6 is a frame member, 7 is a leaf-spring 8 is a spring shackle, 9 is a top, and 10, 11, 12 and 13 are top bows.

The bolt 14: which has a tapered end 15 terminating in a button 16, is slidably confined in thesocket member 17 fastened to the inside of the body 1, preferably to the toprail 18. In the construction shown in Figures 6 and 7, a coil spring 19 sea-ting against the socket member 17 on one end and against the cupped washer 20 on the' other end tends to normally hold the tapered end 15 of the bolt 14; in seated position against the socket member 17. The cupped washer 20 is held in place on the bolt 1e by the .pin 21.

In the construction shown in Figure 8 a coil spring 25 and rod 26 connecting the ends of the bolts 14, serve the same purpose as do the springs 19 in Figure 6 and Figure 7 which is to hold the bolts 14 within the iody when the top is elevated and to hold the bolts under tension when the top is lowered and the bolts support the bow.

A bracket 22 is fastened to the bow 10 as shown, and has a tapered opening shaped to receive the tapered end 15 of the bolt 1.4. A slot wide enough to allow the body of the bolt 14 to pass therethrough leads into the tapered opening as shown in Figure 3. In operation the top is lowered, the bow l0 pivoting about the point 23. The button head 16 of the bolt 14 is grasped with the fingers and is pulled out from the body against the force of the spring 19 or 25 as the case may be. iVhe-n sufficiently extended the bracket 22 on the bow 10 is dropped over the body of the bolt 14 and the bolt 14 is then allowed to recede back into the socket member 17. The tapered end 15 of the bolt 14 drops into, and sockets in the tapered opening of the bracket 22, being held firmly in that position by the force of the spring 19 or 25 as the case may be, and securely holds the bow 10 from movement. In fact, any further movement of the top in relation to the body tends to seat the bolt 14 more securely in the bracket 22. A strap 27, fastened to the mouth edge of the top slip-cover, for convenience in fastening and storing, holds the bows 11, 12 and 13 to the bottom how 10 when in folded position. In putting the top up again the tapered end 15 is withdrawn from the bracket 22 and the bolt 14 is allowed to pull back into inoperative position with only the button end 16 projecting from the body.

The lines 24 represent a partial outline of the back cushions, which indicate the relative position of the top supports to the body.

Formal changes may be made in the specific embodiment of the invention described without departing from the spirit and substance of the broad invention, the scope of which is commensurate wit-h the appended claims.

hat I claim is:

1. In a device of the class described, a vehicle body provided with a folding top having a side bow, a bracket on said how, a bracket mounted within said body, a bolt having a head thereon slidably mounted within said last named bracket, said head engaging said first named bracket to support said top when the same is in folded position, and means to retain said bolt within said body when in inoperative position.

2. The combination with an automobile body and folding top, of a socket member held on the inside of said body and provided With an opening whose axis is substantiall perpendicular to the side of the body, a headed boltcapable of sliding axially in the opening in said socket member, spring means to normally hold said bolt in said socket member so that only the head of said bolt projects beyond the outer surface of the body, and a bracket fastened to one of the top bows capable of detachably receiving and holding the head of said bolt when the top is in folded position, said bolt being drawn outwardly manually from said body against the pressure of said spring means.

3. A vehicle body provided with a folding top having a bow, in combination with a bracket on said bow having a head-rccciving portion formed therein, a bolt having a head thereon slidably mounted in said body, said bolt being adapted to support said top in closed position when said head on said bolt is inserted in said head-receiving portion on said bracket, and means for retaining said bolt within said body when in inoperative position.

4. A device for each side of an automobile for holding the folded top thereof, consisting of a bolt slidably retained in a socket member fastened to the side of the body, said bolt provided with a head tapering outward from its body and terminating in a disc or button, a bracket fastened to a top bow and having a socketing recess therein capable of receiving the tapered portion of said bolt head and having a slot leading into said recess capable of allowing the body of said bolt to pass therethrn. spring means for holding the tapered portion of said bolt head in said socketing recess when said de vice is in operative position and to hold the greater portion of said bolt within the body when said device is not in operative position. and means for holding other top bows to said top bow provided with said bracket.

5. A vehicle body provided with a top having a bow in combination with a bracket on said how having a head-receiving portion formed therein, a bracket mounted within said body, a bolt having a. head thereon slidably mounted within said second named bracket, said head on said bolt being adapted to be inserted in the head-receiving portion of said first named bracket to sup port said how, and means for controlling, the movement of said bolt within said second named bracket.

Signed by me at Detroit, llflichigan this 20th day of December, 1921.

lVILLIAM MAoGLASHAN.

Witnesses CAsHAN P. HEAD, Honeson S. Pmnon. 

